Mrs. Abbott was born to Gotleib Deshner and Elizabeth Grossman Deshner on February 3, 1919 in Washburn, North Dakota, several hours after her twin sister, Ermajean. She grew up on a wheat farm in ND. After her family lost everything during the depression, they traveled from ND to Kansas, harvesting wheat and thinning beets while living in a house on a truck. One sister, Frances, and a brother, Clifford, preceded her in death and she is survived by brothers Wilmer, Alexander and Sylvester and sisters, Ermajean, Evelyn and Alice. Phyllis married Bryce Carroll Abbott in Wolf Point, Montana in 1936. They set up housekeeping in New Deal, MT, where members of both families were working to build Fort Peck Dam. Bryce began to work for the Army Corps of Engineers during W.W.II. They were transferred to St. Joseph, Missouri, and later to Kansas City, MO. While they lived in MT two children, Bernadine Esther and Anthony, were born. Two more children, Leal Mary and Alva Bryce John, were born in St. Joseph, MO. Phyllis is survived by her four children and their spouses, Bernadine Abbott Hoduski, Tony and Barbara Abbott, Leal Abbott and Larry Abbott Hageman and John and Carol Abbott. Her grandchildren include Becky Abbott Dunn and husband, Gary, Rick Abbott and wife, Emily, Brian Abbott Hoduski and wife, Tamara, Bernadine Rose Luetgens, Mark Alexander Hoduski and wife, Jeanne, Kristina Marie Luetgens, Kimberly Jeane Abbott Netz and husband, Jerry, Robert Abbott Luetgens and wife Maria, Deborah Ann Abbott Madden and husband, Brian, and Eric David Hoduski and wife, Kendra. Phyllis and Bryce have 21 great-grandchildren: Ashley and Matthew Luetgens, Michael and Cassandra Johnson, Carrie, Michael and John Madden, Amanda, Charlotte, Jerad and Willow Netz, Sara Marie, Natasha, Tessa, Alexander, Anna and Nicholas Hoduski, Elizabeth and Bryce Hoduski, Kelly and Kristin Abbott. She is also mourned by extended family members Al Luetgens, Ron Hoduski and many nieces and nephews.

         Phyllis was very active in St. James Catholic Church in Kansas City, MO and St. Matthew's Catholic Church in Sidney, MT. She often served as minister of the Word. She loved visiting churches all over the country. She and her children always attended first Friday Mass and afterwards, her family would hurry home to enjoy hot chocolate and Phyllis' homemade caramel rolls. She volunteered as a bus driver for the Red Cross, transporting veterans and children to events in the Kansas City area. Phyllis clerked at Mickey's Grocery Store next door to her home in Kansas City and was a waitress at Mission Hills Country Club and The Kansas City Club. In later years, she was active in the Sidney Senior Citizens Association and was awarded recognition by the Sidney MT newspaper as their top sales person for advertising. Phyllis strongly believed in the benefits of a good education and encouraged all the children in her family to attend college. She promoted lifelong learning in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren by taking them to libraries and museums and by reading to them. Phyllis' nature was to put other people first. This was reflected in her willingness to bless family and friends by caring for their children, teaching reading at Adult Education classes, driving neighbors to church, shopping and doctor's appointments and serving in the St. James Altar Society.

         She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to St. James Catholic Church, 3909 Harrison, Kansas City, MO 64110, St. Matthew's Catholic Church in Sidney, MT or to the Alzheimer's Association, PO Box 8076, Prairie Village, KS 66208.